How to land a new job by the end of the year

While everyone is winding down towards the end of the year, you should be gearing up for your next professional adventure. Traditionally, employees in Singapore tend to only start job hunting after Chinese New Year. However, if want to get ahead of the curve, you should start sending out those resumes now.

Before you get swallowed whole by the job application process, here are a few ways to stand out from the crowd.

Define your goals

What are you looking out for? Do you want to move up the corporate ladder, or find a less stressful job? Are you searching for that dream job that gives you some work-life harmony, a decent raise, more learning opportunities or a more suitable job scope that you can excel in?

Before embarking on sending out job applications, you need to think if a job switch will eventually get you to your ideal position within the next five years. Don’t jump to conclusions because you are offered an attractive salary. Make sure that the switch is part of your long-term plan.

Tell your story

Now that you are clear on what you want, it is imperative that you work out your own professional story. Reiterating what you wrote on your resume word by word is akin to reading off a powerpoint presentation - a major no-no for hiring managers.

Besides talking about your professional life chronologically and highlighting key milestones, you need to think more holistically about your approach. When talking about your previous jobs, you should emphasise the parts thats are more relevant for the role you are applying for.

You do not have to go in-depth to the bolts and nuts of your daily routines. Keeping it topline offers room for questions and allows for a conversation that can strengthen your professional story.

Get your documents ready

In the frenzy of applying for jobs, do not forget to get your documents ready. Keeping a clear overview of the documents needed for an interview opportunity is crucial! Besides an updated curriculum vitae and a customised cover letter, you should also have recommendations, references, and a current profile picture ready.

Don’t wait until recruiters ask for it. Being faster than other applicants can give you the competitive advantage you need. Keeping your profile on Monster updated will help you further to organise all your documents, allowing you to apply for jobs with just a few clicks.

Do your research! Qualify instead of quantity

Job seekers often make the mistake of mass sending job applications without customising each application. When it comes to the job hunting world, it’s quality over quantity. Customise your resume and professional story to increase the chances of it being picked up. Having a targeted approach showcases your core competencies and the right qualifications that recruiters are looking for.

Remember that recruiters and headhunters are not on the lookout for templated cover letters or cut and paste resumes. Your best selling points are your skill sets as well as your achievements that you have racked up over the course of your career.

Stay up to date

If you have been stuck in the daily grind and have not gotten a sense of what’s out in the market, it’s time to double down and get prepared before you head out to those interviews. Always do your research on the role, organisation, and their vision for the future. Most organisations do a face-to-face interview to check if the candidate is the right fit for their culture. If you can demonstrate you are aligned to the company’s values, you would gain an advantage over the other potential candidates.